Monday, May 02, 2005

One of our own is missing

Those that have followed the Cornelia Rau story will hardly be surprised by the revelation that four years ago an Australian citizen was deported under this barbaric detention regime, and nobody knows where she is. This story ran in Monday's World Today program on ABC.

I suppose it was inevitable that Australians would become victims of this repressive system. Now we have politicians on both sides of the fence spinning around to come up with a ‘palatable’ position on the unpalatable proposition that the refugee advocates have it right - mandatory detention and its consequences are a serious violation of human rights.

The flagrant violation in this case should see a mirror held up to our collective face. When authorities fail to ensure non-Australians held in detention facilities are afforded the same basic protection and duty of care we expect for ourselves then we are all diminished.

Watch the unedifying spectacle as politicians duck and weave around the growing chorus for a Royal Commission.